A Declaration of the Charges

As we wind down this most ugliest tenures in American history tonight, I wanted to touch upon and include just the briefest summary of some of the injustices we have endured. It is a litany of problems, large and small, for certain. But it also represents one of the greatest opportunities for us going forward: to finally start to fix all these problems, and be a respected leader on the world stage once again. God knows, it's long, long overdue.

(But, hey, don't despair: you, too, can send words of goodbye to #43.)

Dubya, I don't even know where to begin when describing your crimes and your ignorance. Luckily for us all, Keith Olbermann from MSNBC's "Countdown" does.

Keith Olbermann on CNBC's "Countdown", reporting his editorial peace of The Bush Presidency in Eight Minutes.

And what an absolutely frightening eight minutes that is, truth be told. Watch this and weep first...then watch it again and take notes of the many problems still thriving. Those notes are now our challenges as a country, and they represent what will be needed to solve those problems.

Question is: Are we really up for the task?

God Bless Our Freedom of Speech...and Especially Keith's

Love him or hate him, but Keith Olbermann from MSNBC's "Countdown" last night just took President Bush to the woodshed for some of our Dear President's latest comments. And this "Special Comment" was nothing short of u-g-l-y. Can't say I've ever seen Mr. Olbermann come as close to yelling at the camera as he did last night.

Even if you think Olbermann's a bit of a left-wing nut (which I don't), even if you think he's a showboat (which he occasionally is, but that generally occurs when he's talking sports...which should be forgiven as he was a sports anchor and reporter for a few decades or so), even if you think he speaks too high-falutin' for this country (which is a crime against the populace how again?), you have to give the man his props: he's on a nationally-televised news program with millions of viewers and he's a proud American, albeit one who is angry as hell...and he's not afraid to say it or hide it anymore. And like all proud Americans (should), he understands and uses his right to free speech as often as he can.

Just when I think we're all being lulled to a slow asphyxiation of the brain and spirit, Mr. Olbermann strikes back with one of these gems...

One word, Mr. Olbermann: Bravo!


Keith Olbermann's "Special Comment" from May 14, 2008. ©MSNBC, 2008.

If you'd like to read the transcript to this "Special Comment", The Huffington Post has it here, below the video embed.

Passionate Pleas...and an Ethical Pummeling...for Senator Clinton

Someday in the not too distant future, some very wise wordsmith will fully dissect this three (some could even say four) ring circus that is this year's Presidential election and lay waste to the denial and apathy of the average American voter. This is a very atypical election, in an even more atypical yet very troubling time in our brief history. Yet are we already too weary to get involved again? With some luck, though, said wordsmith will pull back out a chapter and insert a very large asterisk to describe those who tried and tried to kick-start our spirit...and the headline will be something akin to "And Then There Was Keith Olbermann".

Mr Olbermann (of MSNBC and his weeknight news program) may just be one of the few journalists (television or otherwise) who seems to actually give a damn about what he is reporting, and why any of it matters. Furthermore, he may also be a member of a far, far smaller minority that cares so much he elicits (gasp!) the same passion and concern from his viewers. Love him or hate him, Mr Olbermann at least has the cajones to say what he thinks, argue passionately for his principles, and then also stand by those beliefs. And, that, dear friends, is what America is really all about: the freedom of speech and thought, even if others don't agree with you. Especially in times like these.

Tonight, Mr Olbermann did one of his well-known (and an exceptionally well-crafted one, to boot) "Special Comment" segments and it shines a stark light on this week's moral fiasco of Senator Clinton's campaign decision to make the issue of race a campaign platform item. It's stunts (or mismanagement at best) like this 'race debate' (which personally apalls me) with former Senator Ferraro (or for that matter, former President Bill Clinton) that sickens those of us who try, day in and day out, to not 'play the race card' or at least try and be as colour blind as possible. To say that Mr Olbermann calls Senator Clinton out for not only her good, but also for the collective good of the Democratic party, may be one of the understatements of this already bloody political season.

In many ways, this "Comment" of Mr Olbermann's just reinforces what Camille Paglia wrote about Sen. Clinton's actions so far only damaging herself in this campaign. This is the kind of stuff that makes women voters such as myself (whom presumably Senator Clinton was a shoe-in to win the votes of just a few short months ago) reconsider their voting stance, if not withdraw their support of her altogether. This is the kind of 'lowball' tactics that reinforces Senator Clinton's image of distrust and suggests willful manipulation by her to large segments of the population. This is the kind of attack that makes any thinking citizen of this country...who have had to endure 8 years of continuously advancing stupidity in the White House...cringe with trepidation that a new political version of Sherman's March to the Sea is already on our nightly news broadcasts and may be coming our way. Win, lose, or draw, people, clearly blood will be spilled under these conditions.

This is one of Mr Olbermann's most passionate "Comment" segments ever...and the first that has really taken 'direct-hit' aim at anything Democratic Party-affiliated...with words that showcase the contempt growing against the Clinton campaign's tactics, and are uttered hammered home with intense gusto. At points, Mr Olbermann looks visibly upset, as he rightly should be.

Have a look and listen below:

From MSNBC's "Countdown with Keith Olbermann"
"Special Comment" segment, March 12, 2008
© MSNBC, 2008

Very good job, Sir. Damn fine points throughout, and thanks for saying what so desperately has been needed to be said.

And there's still more than seven months to go...

The Glorious Wisdom of the Talking Head: Keith Olbermann's Special Comments

We are living in one of the most fearful times I, and that of any of living relatives and friends, have ever known. Fearful not only as citizens of the world community continually facing a litany of new and ever-more troubling problems within that world, but fearful as Americans. Americans, every one of us, whether we come from new immigration or from generations-long establishment as I have, are at a curious crossroads. The crossroads has landed us, very indecisively, between turning down a road that we are familiar with but will require a great cut in pride in order to follow again, or a turn down a road that is unfamiliar (to us anyway) that allows us to rewrite the rules as we only see fit, since we are currently the only remaining superpower...today, anyways. It's a kind of fear that while strong and justified immediately following the days of 9/11, it's a fear previous generations would have met head on, accepted the challenge, and shown the world the interior grit and eloquence as a nation...a grit and eloquence that brought us forward as a superpower to begin with.

I, for one, am weary of living in fear. But what's worse, I am more weary of the deception that I should be paranoid, distrustful, and/or flat out hate those who don't like my ideals, worship my values, idolize my money or my financial way of life, or look, think, and act like I do. I am one of the millions who harbour these concerns. The United States of America that my parents brought me up in has survived far more sinister Presidents than the current holder, but none as dangerous and unchecked. The United States of America that my relatives fought for, dating back to prior of its existence, is slowly eroding away in front of my eyes, away from my values, away from my way of life, away from my day to day actions.

Good news, though, folks: we do not walk alone. Keith Olbermann, from MSNBC's "Countdown" TV program can do what (it seems) like all three of our governing bodies in Washington and beyond cannot: he 'gets' it. Give this man a bullhorn and let there be great rejoicing throughout the land.

Olbermann's Special Comment on Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, 8/30/2006

Special Commentary on the Five Year Anniversary of 9/11, 9/11/2006

The Blazing "It's Unacceptable to Think" Commentary, 9/18/2006


The man has been on fire lately. May this wonderful voice become the chorus this country...this Western world even...so desperately needs to hear now. Good night and good luck, indeed.